v. Stories · Become an Author

Become an Author: straight answers.

Writing, publishing and launching a novel, and the author website and readership that carry it.

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Become an Author · November 3, 2026

How much does a book cover design cost?

What a professionally designed book cover costs, from premade templates to custom print wraps, what changes the price, and what to ask before you hire.

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Become an Author · October 28, 2026

How much does a book editor cost?

What book editors charge for developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading, how pricing works per word and per hour, and what to ask before you hire.

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Become an Author · October 26, 2026

Author website examples: what the best ones include

Five kinds of author website that work, from the series hub to the newsletter-first site, and the pages every strong author website includes.

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Become an Author · October 23, 2026

How much does a ghostwriter cost to write a book?

What ghostwriters charge to write a book, from a few thousand dollars for a novel to tens of thousands for nonfiction, and what to settle before you hire.

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Become an Author · October 21, 2026

Is a vanity press a scam? How to tell a real publishing service from a bad one

What a vanity press is, why many authors regret using one, and the plain signs that separate an honest paid publishing service from a bad one.

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Become an Author · October 16, 2026

Full-service author package or hiring an editor, cover designer and web designer separately?

When a full-service author package makes sense, when hiring an editor, cover designer and web designer yourself is better, and how to judge either.

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Become an Author · October 15, 2026

What does an author website cost, and what should it include?

What authors pay for a website, from a few hundred dollars to a full launch package, and the pages and details a good author website should include.

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Become an Author · October 14, 2026

Should an author sell books directly or only through Amazon?

Most authors do best on Amazon plus a direct way to reach readers. What each route gives you, what KDP Select asks of the ebook, and when a store pays off.

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Become an Author · October 13, 2026

How do you publish a book on Amazon?

The steps to publish a book on Amazon with Kindle Direct Publishing, what it costs, how long it takes and what to sort out first.

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Become an Author · September 22, 2026

Can you write and publish a novel with AI? How our Become an Author model works

How we work with you, and with AI, to write your novel, publish it on Amazon and build the website, social platforms and automation that find you readers.

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Become an Author · June 10, 2026

What does it really cost to self-publish a novel on Amazon?

Publishing on Amazon is free. Publishing well is not. Where the money goes when you self-publish a novel.

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